We are Living in the Best of Times

Hey, I had a blast in Sturgis. I was tested two days ago, and I have never been contacted by the Chinese Covid. I was much more likely to get it if I stayed in LA. But they seem to leave that side of the equation out. The odds of getting covid from a rally rider is 1 in 1,200,000. Supposedly 700 become infected every day in LA. Only 250 got infected somewhere (maybe not in Sturgis) during the Rally period, like three weeks. Daily you have a 1 in 17,462 chance of catching it every day in LA. Freedom and Motorcycles Work, but some folks can’t stand it.

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JARED MEES GOES 1-2 at Springfield Mile Doubleheader to REGAIN FIRST PLACE FOR INDIAN MOTORCYCLE RACING

Indian Motorcycle Privateer Sammy Halbert Secures First Win Aboard FTR750;

Wrecking Crew Rider Jared Mees Continues Perfect Podium Streak

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (September 9, 2020) – Indian Motorcycle Racing, presented by Progressive Motorcycle Insurance, and its championship-winning FTR750 race bike completed a perfect sweep at the Springfield Mile doubleheader. While Indian Motorcycle Privateer Sammy Halbert secured his first win aboard the FTR750, Wrecking Crew Rider Jared Mees captured his third win of the season and continued his perfect podium streak.

At Springfield Mile I, Halbert and Mees battled early in the Main, but Halbert was too fast and captured the win with nearly a two-second lead. Mees hung on comfortably to finish second, while Indian Motorcycle Privateer Jeffrey Carver Jr. edged out fellow Indian Motorcycle Privateer Brandon Robinson to take the last spot on the box.

“It was so great to see Sammy come out to the legendary Springfield Mile and get his first win on the FTR750,” said Gary Gray, Vice President – Racing, Technology and Service for Indian Motorcycle. “He’s been a fierce competitor for several years, so to see him having success with Coolbeth and the FTR750 is truly special.”

The second round was nothing short of spectacular, as Mees, Carver Jr., Robinson, as well as reigning champion and Wrecking Crew Rider Briar Bauman all battled at the front of the pack. While Robinson ran in fourth for most of the race, he slowly gained ground on the group and made a strong push for the win. Mees held his position and was able to secure his third win of the season by a mere .043 seconds. Although Carver Jr. was running fast all day and was in position to make a push for the win, a mechanical malfunction caused him to dramatically fall to the back of the pack with only a few laps remaining. Bauman, the beneficiary, hung in there and made his way to his fifth podium of the season.

Through six races, Mees is again at the top of the leaderboard with 132 points. His perfect podium streak includes three wins, two second-place finishes and a third. After finishing seventh and third at the Springfield Mile doubleheader, Bauman falls back to second with 119 points. Halbert remains in third with 95 points, while Robinson is fourth with 88 and Wrecking Crew Rider Bronson Bauman completes the top five with 81 points.

The 2020 AFT season will continue on September 11 and 12 at the Williams Grove Half-Mile doubleheader. For more information on Indian Motorcycle Racing, visit IndianMotorcycle.com and follow along on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

With a Bandit’s Life Test Story Line

Hey,

This is a test with Sam’s Picks of the Week as a backdrop. I’ve been bugged about a book about my life. But my life is checkered with ups and down and violent does and don’ts. So, this is sort of an attempt at an outline or rough story line. There won’t be a lot of description, just brief reflections on events.

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by Dustin Wheelen from https://www.rideapart.com

Harley-Davidson has been trying to find its way in a rapidly modernizing world for years now. In the saga’s latest installment, the Milwaukee-based brand ditched Matt Levatich and installed Jochen Zeits as the new President and CEO, changes have been swift and steady. From potentially nixing the Bronx to creating a Chief Digital Officer role, the new regime is implementing its Rewire plan without batting an eye.

With the company projecting jobs cuts in 2020 and speculation that the Street lineup will bite the dust, many Indian outlet are reporting that Harley’s Bawal factory could soon shut down. As the MoCo shifts its Asia Pacific operations to Thailand, talks with Mahinda & Mahinda, Hero Motocorp, and Bajaj are only fueling more rumors about the American brand’s future in the country.

Similar to KTM’s partnership with Bajaj or BMW’s TVS deal, the Bar and Shield could be seeking an affiliate to manufacture midsize motorcycles for the Indian market. Harley’s courters also include auto industry heavyweight Mahindra & Mahindra. As the owners of Classic Legends, the brand behind the Jawa revival and current BSA name-holders, the subsidiary could match the Motor Company’s retro aesthetic and satisfy its need for a global supply chain.

We should note that spokespeople from all brands involved are refusing to comment on the potential partnerships at this moment, but the talks certainly align with Zeits’ cost-cutting efforts. While the brand plans to focus on high-potential segments and markets, a presence in India is key for global success. Harley seems to be moving forward with its China-exclusive model 338R, and a similar tactic could benefit the MoCo in India.

We may be reading the tea leaves at this moment in time, but with cruiser sales continuing to dwindle in the U.S., Harley’s global presence will be more important than ever. Catering to the two most populous countries and the largest motorcycle markets in the world will be critical for the brand’s future. For now, we’ll have to wait and see if the company’s Indian factory closes by the end of the year and whether that begins a whole new phase of Harley’s ever-evolving modernization plan.

by Daniel Patrascu from https://www.autoevolution.com

There’s only one mainstream bike maker with an electric motorcycle on the market: Harley-Davidson. The Americans launched the LiveWire last year, hit a few snags along the way, and now the entire thing looks like a lost bet.

Maybe it’s the fact that the world is not yet ready for electric motorcycles – we lost track of how many startups came and went while promising a revolution in the industry – or it could be that Harley really messed up the LiveWire, but the reality is riders do not really flock to dealers to order one.

Truth be told, the bike maker itself didn’t make a big fuss about the electric two-wheeler, and kind of left it fending for itself because, well, it really has no competition.

That approach is about to change as of this month. Harley is finally putting some big names and some more dollars behind promoting the bike, in the hopes its fortunes would change.

Starting September 18, people with an Apple TV+ subscription will have the chance to see what the LiveWire is really capable of. After all, it did travel over 13,000 miles (21,000 km) from the city of Ushuaia in Tierra del Fuego to America’s West Coast, ridden by Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman as they were shooting their Long Way Up show.

And also from September, expect to see it more on the drag strip, just like it happened this past weekend in Indianapolis, where the NHRA U.S. Nationals took place.

Three Harley riders – Andrew Hines, Eddie Krawiec, and Angelle Sampey – enjoyed themselves between races by taking the LiveWire down the strip in exhibition runs, trying to convince people an investment in the LiveWire would not be a bad idea.

Don’t expect anything spectacular to have happened. There’s a short video below this text with the highlights of the Harley runs, but don’t look forward to records being broken or the crowds going wild with excitement.

 

from https://en.mercopress.com

Royal Enfield, a classic English motorcycle brand but now belonging to an economic group from India opened on Tuesday its industrial complex in Campana, Argentina where it commenced the manufacturing of three models.

The Campana factory in Argentina is the first country to make the motorcycle outside India with an investment of some US$ 80 million and the creation of 100 jobs.

Besides the Indian company authorities, the inauguration counted with the attendance of Argentine president Alberto Fernández, the governor of Buenos Aires province, Axel Kicillof and the Development minister, Matias Kulfman, who also announced the government’s plan of soft credits for the purchase of the motorbikes in 48 installments at an interest rate half the estimated inflation.

The Indian group in Argentina is represented by SIMPA, which also imports other world motorcycle brands, such as KTM, Husqvarna, Vespa, Aprilia, Piaggio, Moto Guzzi and Can-Am.

Martin Shwartzm the Simpa group operations head said the three models which are to be built in the factory are the Interceptor and Continental GT (both 650cc) and the world famous double purpose Himalayan, with a 411cc engine.

Although a percentage of the motorcycle parts are imported, the three models to be manufactured in Campana also have a percentage of Argentine parts.

“This production development not only has created jobs but with the manufacture of parts in Argentina, allows for more accessible prices”, president Fernandez said.

Royal Enfield to commence local assembly of three of its motorcycles in Argentina

from https://economictimes.indiatimes.com

Royal Enfield on Wednesday said it will commence local assembly of its motorcycles in Argentina in partnership with Grupo Simpa, its local distributor in the country since 2018.

This will be the first time in Royal Enfield’s modern history that motorcycles will be assembled and produced outside the company’s manufacturing facilities in Chennai, India, the company said in a statement.

The local assembly unit in Argentina will be based at Grupo Simpa’s facility located in Campana, Buenos Aires.

“To begin with, the plant will locally assemble three motorcycle models – the Royal Enfield Himalayan, the Interceptor 650 and the Continental GT 650 – starting this month,” it added.

Commenting on the development, Royal Enfield CEO Vinod K Dasari said: “Royal Enfield has been working steadily to grow and expand the middleweight motorcycling segment globally and also to increase our footprint in important global markets.”

The company has grown its international presence significantly and now has a wide retail presence across 60 countries, he added.

“With a strategic view to cater to growing demand and to gain significant market advantage, we have been pursuing our plans to set up local assembly units across specific markets in the Asia Pacific region and across South America. In the first of these, we are very happy to announce the first CKD (Completely Knocked Down) assembly plant in Argentina,” Dasari said.

Argentina, which is among the biggest mid-size motorcycle markets in Latin America, and other South American countries have been an important market for Royal Enfield.

“Ever since we commenced sales since 2018 in Argentina, we have received a resounding response to our motorcycles from consumers. The local terrain and topography create the perfect canvas for riding our motorcycles, especially the Himalayan. The initial success of the 650 Twin motorcycles has also been very encouraging,” he said.

Dasari said Royal Enfield is deeply committed to focusing on becoming a part of the fabric of the country’s rich motorcycling culture.

“Our decision to start assembling our motorcycles in Argentina is testament to our long term commitment and increasing confidence in the market,” he added.

Royal Enfield had set up retail operations in Argentina in March 2018, with its first store in Vicente Lopez, Buenos Aires.

Since then, it has expanded its retail network and currently has 5 exclusive stores in Argentina. Overall, Royal Enfield has 31 exclusive stores and 40 other retail touchpoints in all Latin American countries.

by Silvian Secara from https://www.autoevolution.com

It was nicknamed ‘Ducati Odioso’, but ‘Bubblegum’ might’ve worked just as well, if you ask me.

Believe it or not, the starting point for this outlandish project really was a 1999 Ducati ST4. While this may not be your first pick for a donor when looking to create a sidecar motocrosser, the daredevils over at Revival Cycles are always up for a challenge. Besides the ST4, their options were limited to a Triumph Bonneville, an MV Agusta Brutale or a Moto Guzzi Centauro. Obviously, not a single one of these bikes were suited to the workshop’s vision.

Nonetheless, the Revival pros decided to work with whatever they had available and chose Ducati’s fierce monstrosity as the cornerstone for their ambitious undertaking. Sure, the end result may be a little (uh, very) unorthodox, but we’ll have to agree that it’s a genuine example of unrestrained creativity. To be frank, I find it truly fascinating!

For starters, let’s go back to this thing’s roots and remind ourselves where it all began. The 1999 Ducati ST4 is brought to life by a ruthless four-stroke DOHC V-twin powerplant, with a gargantuan displacement of 916cc and four valves per cylinder. When prompted, this liquid-cooled bad boy will unleash up to 105 hp at 8,500 rpm, along with 61 pound-feet (83 Nm) of torque output at 6,500 revs.

It is nested inside a steel trellis frame and coupled with a six-speed gearbox, which channels the engine’s brutal force to a chain final drive. Ultimately, this vicious two-wheeler is capable of accelerating 0-62 mph (0-100 kph) in as little as 3.2 seconds, while its top speed is rated at a glorious 151 mph (243 kph).

Stopping power is handled by two 320 mm (12.6 inches) brake discs and four-piston calipers up front, joined by a single 245 mm (9.65 inches) rotor and a two-piston caliper on the opposite end. In terms of suspension, ST4 is supported by a set of Showa 43 mm (1.7 inches) inverted forks at the front, along with a fully adjustable monoshock and an aluminum swingarm at the rear.

Now, since Revival Cycles’ Odioso has very little in common with the original bike, there’s no need to go into any other details. For starters, the firm unveiled Ducati ST4’s ferocious V-twin mill by stripping away the entirety of the motorcycle’s bodywork.

The next step consisted of building a custom sidecar from scratch, using chromoly tubing and a long travel swingarm. This was followed by a rearrangement of ST4’s components, including the oil cooler, lithium ion battery and radiator. These are now housed by the sidecar, offering an even weight distribution throughout the structure.

Additionally, the standard Showa forks were removed to make room for KTM’s off-road capable suspension. On the opposite end, you will notice a one-off setup that prides itself with a Ducati Monster’s alloy swingarm and an Ohlins coilover shock. The latter can also be found on the sidecar.

Odioso crawls on a pair of 17-inch multi-spoked aluminum wheels, enveloped in all-terrain rubber. The Revival team equipped the wheels with high-performance Brembo brakes and crafted a new fuel tank to match the desired aesthetic. To top it all off, the bike was rewired using a Motogadget M-Unit and a unique saddle was upholstered in-house.

Finally, the oddly colorful paintwork intends to reflect the sheer amount of pure fun to be had while riding this untamed animal. It might be slightly unconventional, but it’ll certainly make this funky piece of machinery stand out!

What are your thoughts on Revival Cycles otherworldly Ducati ST4 makeover?

by Silvian Secara from https://www.autoevolution.com

It looks like Peter Parker has a mechanical soulmate!

The Spider’s story begins as a regular 1995 model in Honda’s CB750 F2 family. A Polish motorcycle surgeon, by the name of Krzysztof Rogalinski, tackled the painstaking task of breathing new life into this weary two-wheeler. Needless to say, his spectacular creation is (almost) an entirely different animal. However, for comparison’s sake, we’ll start by having a quick look at what the original bike was capable of.

While the MY ’95 CB750 F2 wasn’t exactly what you’d refer to as impressive or groundbreaking in any way, it wasn’t entirely disappointing either. Come on folks, we’ll have to at least give it some credit for the latter, right?

It is put in motion by a four-stroke DOHC inline-four engine, with a generous displacement of 747cc. At 8,500 revs, the air-cooled mill would generate up to 73 hp, accompanied by 46 pound-feet (62 Nm) of torque output at 7,500 rpm.

Additionally, this piece of machinery comes equipped with four 34 mm (1.34 inches) carburetors that help it breathe with ease. As to CB750 F2’s drivetrain, a five-speed manual gearbox allows for the powerplant’s force to be handed over to the rear wheel by means of a chain final drive.

Up front, the entire structure rests on a pair of 41 mm (1.6 inches) telescopic forks, joined by dual adjustable shock absorbers on the opposite end. The front wheel wears twin 296 mm (11.65 inches) brake discs, coupled with two-piston calipers. On the other hand, you will find a single 240 mm (9.45 inches) rotor and one-piston caliper at the rear.

I know, you’re probably thinking this whole shebang sounds painfully average, and I’m not about to disagree. Hang in there though, we’re just about to dive into the exciting part!

Krzysztof Rogalinski (aka KrisBiker) specializes mainly in restoring motorcycles of all shapes and sizes. However, he decided to pursue a more creative undertaking and blessed a mediocre ‘95 Honda CB750 F2 with a welcome makeover. As such, this undistinguished machine morphed into a groovy cafe racer that’d look right at home in a Spider-Man movie.

“In January, I completely restored a Russian Ural M63 in 30 days using 98% original parts,” explains Rogalinski. “I thought a cafe racer project would be a walk in the park. I was wrong.”

Firstly, he modified the bike’s frame to accommodate a ‘70s CB550 F’s fuel tank, as well as a one-off saddle that matches the desired aesthetic. The gifted craftsman continued by installing a fresh set of Gixxer forks, along with a pair of Ohlins shocks on the other end.

The Spider rolls on 17-inch Excel multi-spoked wheels, hugged by Pirelli’s top-of-the-line Night Dragon tires. At the front, the wheel is dressed in dual 318 mm (12.5 inches) floating discs and Brembo brake pads, coupled with a CBX750’s caliper and a single brand-new brake disc at the rear.

In terms of F2’s inline-four powerplant, Rogalinski treated it to a full restoration and recalibrated its carburetors to optimize their behavior. To top it all off, he honored the 747cc mill with a splendid satin black finish, as well as an aftermarket four-into-one exhaust system that guarantees a healthy performance upgrade.

Next, he relocated the electric components to Spider’s modified swingarm and provided his creation with a full LED lighting kit. Besides a considerable weight reduction of 46 lbs (21 kg), the reborn Honda CB750 F2 prides itself with Accel clip-on handlebars – a must-have item for any respectable cafe racer.

And there we have it. Now that we’ve wrapped this up, why not pay KrisBiker a visit on his Facebook page and show him some love for his two-wheeled marvel?

Motorcycles and Art with Moxie in Sturgis 2020

For the last 12 years Michael Lichter has put on a Motorcycles Art Exhibit for Sturgis Rally riders at various locations.

Industry Guests had a special showing on Sunday by invitation only. The event was also open to the public for Free from 2 P.M. to 10 P.M. Saturday August 8 through Friday August 14, 2020

This year’s show was named Heavy Mettle and like previous years included the who’s who of the motorcycle builders from around the world.

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by Daniel Patrascu from https://www.autoevolution.com

The Street motorcycle is the cheapest two-wheeler in the Harley portfolio, and it represents for most riders the entry point into the realm of the world’s most famous bike maker. As such, the range has been a sales leader in developing markets such as India ever since its introduction.

The Street 750 came to the world in 2014 as the bike maker’s first new model in more than a decade. It quickly grew to become exactly what was needed to tackle the need to expand in emerging markets. And selling lots of Streets meant that soon there were countless garages taking their own shot at the line.

The one in the gallery above was considered six years ago “the first officially sanctioned Street custom from an independent builder.” It’s a significantly modified 750 handled by an Indian garage called Rajputana Customs.

The shop specializes now in reimagining several bike makes, but have a soft spot for the Royal Enfield brand. Yet they seem quite apt at giving a new direction to Harley bikes as well.

It took the garage four weeks to put this thing together, and quite a lot of work went into it. Rajputana went for a more road-friendly approach by replacing the original forks with Suzuki GSX-R forks that are 25 percent stiffer, the dual shocks have been pulled out and a monoshock was fitted, the subframe replaced with a new one, and finally the belt drive was scrapped in favor of a chain.

Visually, the bike looks much more massive than the stock 750. That is owed to the fat tires and the swept down handlebars. The fuel tank is no longer were it used to be, as it was raised at the rear, and the fuel cap moved from the right to the left side.

We are not being told how much the conversion cost, or what happened to the bike after it was completed. Rajputana’s website no longer lists this Street 750 as one of their products, but does list another version of it called Makku V2.0.